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A carregar... A Christmas Carol and Other Christmas Storiespor Charles Dickens
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Pertence a SérieThe Christmas Books of Charles Dickens (1 & tre noveller) Pertence à Série da Editora
Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol is an endearing classic for the holiday season. The stingy Ebenezer Scrooge learns the true meaning of Christmas when he encounters the Ghost of Christmas Past, the Ghost of Christmas Present, and the Ghost of Christmas future. Não foram encontradas descrições de bibliotecas. |
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Google Books — A carregar... GénerosSistema Decimal de Melvil (DDC)823.8Literature English & Old English literatures English fiction Victorian period 1837-1900Classificação da Biblioteca do Congresso dos EUA (LCC)AvaliaçãoMédia:
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Language
The language is very true to the standard Victorian form and to other works of Dickens. The descriptions are ornate and flowery. The lists of objects, characteristics or actions are often lengthy and overly detailed. Once or twice, the language felt somewhat over-the-top and heavy-handed to the point that I wanted to "scan" rather than "read" the long paragraphs. Most of the time, the language was fluid and beautiful. I was truly drawn into Victorian England and the Christmases experienced by Ebenezer Scrooge.
Characters / Setting
The characters from the story have become so well known that I was curious to see if the modern day interpretations varied much from the original. I was relieved to find that we've stayed true to Dickens' original character sketches. Apart from Scrooge not saying "Humbug" quite as often as I thought he would, the characters were very close to what I've come to know in 20th/21st century media.
The ghosts seem to receive the most descriptive treatment which had some interesting variants I hadn't seen before. I've seen Christmas Past often presented as a female while the book shows this ghost in a more "male" light, although still somewhat genderless...mainly just kind of ancient. It was interesting to me also to read that Christmas Present was seen to age through the course of the journey so much so that he was on the verge of death by the time he left Scrooge. It gave me new perspective into his life as a spirit...he effectively lived only for that day...the "present" Christmas. When it was gone, so was he.
The human characters were excellently treated, sometimes in just a few simple lines, other times with more description, but always just enough to be vivid and full of life.
The settings were wonderfully outlined as per usual Dickens style. I truly felt myself in his world.
Plot, Theme, Pacing, etc.
Again, the plot is fairly commonplace after having seen it so many times. I tried to put myself in the perspective of a 19th century reader. Morality tales were certainly nothing new to Victorian readers. Nor were ghost stories. However, Dickens' treatment of a haunted morality tale set at Christmastime felt somewhat unique. Surely the story was seen as the social and human commentary that it was. The working class and the lower class surely loved the message of the story...that the upper class could reform its ways and see in its heart to help out those struggling at the bottom of society.
The pacing was quick and the message was clear. This is something I could see reading aloud with my family next December.
This Edition...the other stories
Before wrapping up, I wanted to leave a comment on the other stories in the book. While I loved the title story in the book, the same adoration was felt as deeply for the other Dickens Christmas stories included in this book. Because A Christmas Carol is a fairly short story (only about 90 pages), the editors of this edition chose to include 3 additional Christmas tales by Dickens.
Overall
Dickens' Christmas Carol is truly a perennial classic that should be enjoyed year after year. Whether that enjoyment is through the book or through a well adapted movie or stage version (I've always loved the "George C Scott" version), it shouldn't matter much. Even the movie knock-offs (such as Bill Murray's "Scrooged" or other similar treatments) still have the good sense to promote the underlying themes of the tale.
Like Scrooge, we should all seek to keep the spirit of Christmas with us throughout the year. I don't care what your religion is or what your beliefs are (and Dickens keeps religious narrative to a minimum despite the religious nature of the holiday...perhaps due to the overarching Christian audience, he didn't feel the need to promote the religious fervor). The themes and values taught by this Christmas Carol are morals that can and should be put in place by any member of the human race.
Let us all make the welfare of 'mankind' be our 'business' for the future.
*****
5 stars ( )